Masque looks at the Council's device and smiles. Very well, they knew how to find her now. That meant the snitch was closer than he appeared, and was able to follow her despite her efforts to cover her tracks. The woman that put herself in everyone's minds, perhaps?
She certainly was arrogant enough, but Radio-Girl quibbled about taking lives. That didn't make her any less guilty, however. Whatever Masque was meant to see this device as, a gift from the Council could only be a trap. She did not take it from her masque's hands, and the masque simply shrugged and dropped it on the courier's body.
"Absolutely necessary," they both said, in case anyone was waiting for a reply. They walked out of the building and made their way back to the warehouse.
There was a method to the madness. I figured she'd seen the gun. From her reaction, she didn't seem to understand what it was for, so I thought it actually being fired might have come as a complete surprise and give masque the drop. The girl's still dead. Or if not, one more in the brain. Tomato/tomato.
Or was it pumpkin?
PS. Are you going to be tracking GM bennies in your class line? ;)
Masque quickly pats the courier down, taking her wallet, keys and anything that seems like it might be useful. She hands the package to the masque, who steps back into the apartment and bolts the door from the inside. The masque carefully opens the package.
If it doesn't blow her off the face of the earth:
The masque opens the door and gives Masque the contents of the package.
"We should probably find someplace else to sleep tonight," Masque says to herself, looking around at the bloody mess in the hallway.
The masque nods, and they make their way back to the warehouse, to see if anyone wants to go to a funeral.
She's lying. Who else but the council would know where I am? "I do want the package, thank you" the masque says, and squeezes the trigger twice.
The masque shoots her. +1 for double tap, iirc. I don't have my books on me, but I think you add a +2 for getting the drop. The way things are going, I won't assume that the delivery girl doesn't have the reflexes of a ninja, so I'll leave it to you to add that in or not.1d12 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 I'm going to take a risk and assume that the Masque herself does get the drop, being invisible and all. She gets a +2 to attack and a -2 multiaction penalty for solidifying and shooting. In that order. to solidify:1d8 - 2 ⇒ (7) - 2 = 51d6 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2success and to shoot: 1d12 ⇒ 61d6 ⇒ 5
Damage (masque, if it hits): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6) + 1 = 9 Damage (Masque): 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8
If we aren't in combat rounds, Masque will duplicate herself, turn intangible and invisible, step through the wall into the corridor to see who's knocking, while the masque will remain visible and tangible and approach the door.
I had thought most of the night would be spent on recon. She will grab a nap in the empty apartment in the building across the street. Or if there isn't any place like that, somewhere outside of the designated headquarters, but unlikely to be disturbed.
I'm guessing from your response that what is beneath the streets is not any kind of contemporary city's subsurface maintenance tunnel with access to power, water, gas and sewage pipes, but more like an underground river o' poo. If that is typical of the city, I will avoid it. If there are tunnels not full of sewage, she will include them in her search.
Masque's idea of reconnoitering an area may be a bit unusual. Walls are no hindrance to movement, and she has little fear of being spotted casually, and in a potentially dodgy situation, she has a spare she can use. She doesn't limit herself to knowing the streets, but explores the buildings. Intangible and invisible, she walks through apartments and offices, businesses and supply closets. She's cautious, knowing invisibility is not fool-proof, but comfortable enough with the advantage it gives her.
If there is nothing to tip her to V'sori or Black Council activity in the vicinity of their headquarters, she will resume her vendetta. Though her apartment and her files had been compromised, she was not entirely without resources. Just before she had been taken, she had eliminated a pretzel vendor named Jonathan Fleischer, who was in fact a member of the Black Council. She would find a suitable black dress and attend his funeral, with the masque, invisible, to listen to the conversations. The Council was sure to send a representative, and she had observed him long enough to pass herself off as an acquaintance.
"Poor Jonathan, always trying to pass off Letterman's jokes as his own."
As the craft leaves, Masque allows her copy to dissipate, and looks around the warehouse. It would have to do. Her apartment was compromised, and who knows what other intel the Council and the V'sori had gathered on her safehouses. No, it was better to abandon the past for now, and concentrate on her current situation.
Too dangerous to stay here while all these would-be leaders work out who's running the show. Need somewhere close, though. Underground? She strolled around the floor of the place, looking for any sign of an entrance to the city's subsurface areas.
The masque-copy shows no interest whatsoever in the other prisoners. She climbs into the transport and sits. The true Masque, Anne-Marie, comes inside, only dismissing her invisibility when she sits on the copy's lap. She's done what she was blackmailed into doing, but she sees no reason to free any other prisoners.
Masque makes it back to the cell block, intending to let the others know there is a ship incoming, when she hears the "voice" in her head again, attempting to dictate orders. Again.
Apparently, they know. Or think they do. No reason to trust any of them that I can see.
Remaining invisible, she stays as near to the corner of the building as she can while her masque-copy slips through the door and appears.
"Ship incoming," the masque calls out. "Might be our ride. Might not."
1d8 ⇒ 8 Her masque becomes solid again, and aims at the door, ready to open fire should the ship be hostile.
She becomes invisible and steps through the wall, into the yard. She walks slowly towards the gate, her duplicate ten yards ahead of her.
Unless and until something happens, or she finds anything worth relaying, she will make a loop around the yard, checking the motor pool, the guard shack, the K'tharen barracks and the drone barracks.
"The coast is clear for now," Anne-Marie says while Bad Penny blasts away at the concrete wall. "Mindjack's our guy. I say we get moving before the reinforcements gets here."
She 1d8 ⇒ 51d6 ⇒ 5 slips into intangibility and steps closer to the front wall of the cell block, standing beside, hiding just behind it and allowing her invisible duplicate to advance into the yard, to the edge of her range, trying to get a better look at the outbuildings.
"Hey Isabel, or whatever your name is," she whispers, and taps her head. "I'm going to do a little recon, see what's in the other buildings. Do your little switchboard thing so I can let you know what's out there."
Keeping watch makes sense, but so does reminding this mind-humper that she is not actually in command. Masque manifests a copy of herself which strolls out to the door, invisible, while the original flickers back into sight beside DA. She checks the bag that the weapons came in and scans the room quickly for anything that might be medical. notice/wild1d6 ⇒ 51d6 ⇒ 1
I knew I was forgetting something. +4 to hit and damage is a pretty big something. And I have a question, if I duplicate while invisible, will the duplicate appear invisible (ok, you know what I mean) as well?
She nods to the man she believes to be Devil's Advocate, the criminal world's geek squad and, if the rumors are true, a deft assassin in his own right. Of course, she's invisible, so he wouldn't see her nod. He'll know how to get anyone out of the cell, if anyone can. As the doors burst open and the drones enter the room, Belledonna's voice in her mind identifies Mindjack. It makes some sort of empty promise to the other criminals in the prison. Whether they release any of the other prisoners is completely incidental to Anne-Marie. It only matters if they can help with the mission at hand.
Raising her gun, she takes a heartbeat to point at the first of the drones that have come through the door that has not turned its back or been taken down, charmed or otherwise neutralized, and squeezes the trigger.
Shooting1d12 ⇒ 10 1d6 ⇒ 4 hitting with a raise, and doing some damage (AP1): 3d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 4) = 9
As soon as the shot is off, she moves (6") towards the cell that Belledonna identified as holding Mindjack, whispering to Devil's Advocate, "I'll see you there."
Drones bursting in, reindeer blasting, orcs charging and good little boys and girls with eggnog and bennies.... No wonder we're confused: Santa DM is coming to town.
Merry Xmas all.
Bookkeeping-wise, I believe I posted for round 4, so let me know if I didn't.
She nods to the man she believes to be Devil's Advocate, the criminal world's geek squad and, if the rumors are true, a deft assassin in his own right. Of course, she's invisible, so he wouldn't see her nod. He'll know how to get anyone out of the cell, if anyone can. As the doors burst open and the drones enter the room, Belledonna's voice in her mind identifies Mindjack. It makes some sort of empty promise to the other criminals in the prison. Whether they release any of the other prisoners is completely incidental to Anne-Marie. It only matters if they can help with the mission at hand.
Raising her gun, she takes a heartbeat to point at the first of the drones that have come through the door that has not turned its back or been taken down, charmed or otherwise neutralized, and squeezes the trigger.
Shooting1d12 ⇒ 101d6 ⇒ 4hitting with a raise, and doing some damage (AP1):3d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 4) = 9
As soon as the shot is off, she moves (6") towards the cell that Belledonna identified as holding Mindjack, whispering to Devil's Advocate, "I'll see you there."
I had wondered if you were going to try something like that Masque :p Given the nature of your abilities I'm going to have to say there's some potential for feedback when your duplicate acts like that. The first wound from materializing inside of someone will 'kill' (disperse) the duplicate, and any wounds caused over that will feed back through the pyschic/spiritual link with the duplicate to Masque. Otherwise that's way too easy to abuse :p
I completely support that ruling. But I'm glad you ruled on it before I hurt myself. It's not something I planned on using much anyway. She'd rather have her duplicate up and shooting.
Notice/wild1d6 ⇒ 61d6 ⇒ 4 Explode1d6 ⇒ 3 Success with a raise. She knows they're coming. If Mus'ad takes out the last of the first set before I get my shot off, I'll just use the action to re-invisible, making the gun disappear.
The masque (aka, the duplicate) reaches her arms inside one of the drones and then attempts to materialize Spirit1d8 ⇒ 1 but fails.
While that doesn't happen, Masque herself grabs her glock from the duffel. Unsure if the gun becomes invisible. If yes, if disappears. If no, the gun appears to fly up and shoot on its own.
She brings the pistol up and aims at the drone her copy is hugging, shooting through her intangible duplicate if necessary.
Shooting/wild dice at -2 (multiaction for picking the gun up)1d12 - 2 ⇒ (9) - 2 = 71d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1 damage dice2d6 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10and another for the ace1d6 ⇒ 6and another for the ace1d6 ⇒ 3looks like 19 damage, AP1 "Thank you," she whispers to the spirits.
SPC has activating passive powers like invisibility and, weirdly, duplicates as a free action so I didn't think they would still inflict multi-action penalties. In future, she'll probably account for that and spread it out a bit. spirit/wild (at -4)1d8 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 6 Duplicate Spirit1d8 ⇒ 4 Wild dice aced1d6 ⇒ 1 It would seem that only my duplicate is intangible, but at least I can't be seen. Common knowledge rolls CK1/wild, CK2/wild 1d6 ⇒ 31d6 ⇒ 4 1d6 ⇒ 21d6 ⇒ 1 I know something about drones, apparently. I know Mindjack is the guy Doctor D is looking for, and ... uh ... he wants him not-dead.
Soak roll=Vigor/Wild card1d8 ⇒ 1 /1d6 ⇒ 5One wound soaked and unshaken (if I was shaken)
Anne-Marie looked up at the piece of blue sky visible through the hole her body had made. A nice steel roof to break the fall. Lovely, she thought as she stood up, wincing as she felt what would likely be a whole assortment of monster bruises soon.
Doctor Destruction had made good on his promise. She was indeed back in a prison. Not yet in prison yet, though, she thought. She rubbed her wrists where the nullifiers had been. She was free again, she could feel the spirits around her again. The thoughts flashed through her head as she stood and looked around.
The drones were turning towards them, and she stepped into the spirit world. The masque, the shape of herself that she left behind, rushed at the drones.
She goes intangible and invisible, creating a duplicate as a masque. The masque will be ever so slightly transparent as it also goes intangible. Anyone watching carefully may notice (at -2 on the roll) that the duplicate's eyes are like glass. Those who are really on the ball may notice (at -4) a vague, Anne-Marie shaped distortion in the air, like a camera slightly out of focus, when she is invisible.
Plummeting through the air, without her connection to the spirits, Anne-Marie didn't take time to weigh her options.
I agree, she thought. Mindjack will be sprung.
Obviously, Doctor Destruction had been sent by the spirits to set her free. It only made sense that releasing this Mindjack was a part of their plan, as well. She looked down and hoped that he had worked something out to help with the landing.
I take it back, ninjas can't be scouts.
Here is the rogue, then:
Xara:
Xara
Tiefling Rogue (Scout) 1
CG Medium Outsider (native)
Init +6; Senses darkvision; Perception +5
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 11 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +2
Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee Rapier +4 (1d6+2/18-20/x2)
Ranged Shortbow +4 (1d6/x3)
Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
Spell-Like Abilities Darkness (1/day)
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Statistics
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Str 15, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 8
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 16
Feats Weapon Finesse
Traits Indomitable Faith, Reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +8, Appraise +5, Bluff +5, Climb +6, Disable Device +7, Escape Artist +8, Perception +5 (+6 to locate traps.), Sense Motive +5, Stealth +10
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic
SQ trapfinding +1
Other Gear Leather armor, Rapier, Shortbow, 100 GP
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Special Abilities
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Damage Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Cold attacks.
Damage Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Damage Resistance, Fire (5) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Fire attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Sneak Attack +1d6 +1d6 damage if you flank your target or your target is flat-footed.
Trapfinding +1 Gain a bonus to find or disable traps, including magical ones.
If nobody objects, I have a rogue (scout) I'd like to try out.
Unless it were to be whispered in my ear that traps were going to be a non-factor in this AP, in which case, I'd opt for a Ninja (scout).
I think as far as APs go, I'm up for almost anything. I really just want to get the chance to play some.
I'm pretty open to trying whatever role the party needs, but if given my choice, I'd go for the front lines. Barbarian/paladin/fighter.
Are we more or less agreed on being a "good" party? Or is there a big push to do evil or the timeless classic, "we're all chaotic neutral, why can't we get along?" party.
Anne-Marie listens to the others. She wonders about the ranter, who sounds perfectly insane. The little guy strikes her as familiar, and it takes a moment for it to click. She's heard his voice before, over a crappy satellite connection when she needed to get through some heavy duty electronic security. The big man in the turban makes her smile. He doesn't make any sense, but he's the only one not complaining, and as for the old guy, he's obviously just a goon.
Then the vehicle flips, bouncing her around inside it. She sees the gap ripped open in the M'buna, and knows it means freedom. Her mind tells her to go as soon as the vehicle stops moving, but it seems that being severed from her connection with the spirits has slowed her down. She has barely had the thought when a rocket explodes and throws her back.
Agility/wild1d6 ⇒ 31d6 ⇒ 1
She clutches her elbow, wincing, and sits up. The ground moves under her. For a moment, she thinks she has a concussion, until she hears a voice and realizes she is sitting on the back of the big man with the turban. She rolls off of him and looks up at Doctor Destruction. There is no doubt that the man is a villain, but she has never suspected him of involvement with her enemy. After all, the enemy keeps a low profile.
Even more easily over-looked beside Isabelle, Anne-Marie would have been completely forgettable in any circumstances. A brunette wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants and a long sleeved black t-shirt, she is slender and toned, but nothing about her appearance suggests that she belongs in this group of villains. She does seem particularly unwilling to accept the fact of her restraints, though, and keeping pulling at them.
"I've done everything I was supposed to," she complains, to no one in particular, and pulls at the restraints again before sitting back to stare at the floor.
Two nights ago, after killing an agent of the Black Council posing as a pretzel vendor named Jonathan Fleischer, Masque had returned to what she believed was a secure apartment. She was confident that no one had ever seen her enter or leave the place, but someone clearly knew that she was there and who she was. She went to sleep that night, as always, with her pistol in her hand, and woke to feel a needle pricking her arm. She glimpsed aliens, and tried to escape.
Before she could slip into the spirit world, she was asleep again. When she woke up again, the nullifiers were on her wrists. It is obvious that she had been betrayed, but who had tipped them off? More important, what had she done to the spirits that they allowed this to happen? Fleischer must have had an ally. Someone powerful enough to track her to her safe house. Someone who used the aliens as a cat's paw. Someone that would lead her closer to the heart of the secret organization.
I'm ambivalent about who may or may not know her. She's been independent and fairly low profile, but has made contacts in the Super Villain community. While she is very focused on her own agenda, she believes that the Black Council is everywhere. Persuading her that a given target is one of them is not difficult, and highly economical. She might easily have worked for Professor Mayhem or Belledonna, or with Mus'ad or Bad Penny. Devil's Advocate she could easily have tapped as 'tech support' on one job or another.
@ Belledonna - I feel your pain. I'm a shooter with shooting d4. Obviously mistakes were made in character creation. Especially annoying since we knew this was coming.
@ GM - I'm assuming that her captors would have removed her weapons.
In real world games with an established group, we usually talk about what classes we want to play and what will help the group and such. Then we all roll up characters that we like and that work fairly well together. I kind of like this way of doing things, so I'm hoping those of us (fingers Xed) who are chosen can get some of that in.
This looks like a lot of fun.
I think a Carnival (or a town where a Carnival was working) would be a great place for an oracle to ply her trade. More to come as I read up on the class.
I think this is an awesome way to start a campaign on these boards.
Jenni, 30, on the US East Coast.
2nd generation gamer, so been playing roughly since birth. I believe I swallowed my first d10 before I could speak. First started playing dumbed down 1st ed with my dad DMing my friends around 8 or 9, graduated to WoD as teenagers (oh yes, nerd elitists we were) and came back to D&D in time for the millenial edition wars. First saw Pathfinder in beta (around 2007 or 8, I want to say?) and began playing it as my main game about 3 years ago. I still play dumbed down 1e sometimes. Soon it will be my kids turn to start
Lately, been really turned on to Savage Worlds to the point where I have to stop myself from evangelizing it.
Beyond gaming, I like hiking and kayaking and anything that gets me out into the woods. I was a pretty accomplished chef once, but having kids seems to have put an end to that.
I love my fantasy and my sci-fi, but even more I love horror and mystery type entertainment. I am traditional. I think vampires are sexy the way leeches are sexy, I like heroes better than anti-heroes, and I prefer to keep my evil races evil. My sense of humor is dark enough that I try to keep it out of the hands of children and strangers.
I'm taking you at your word and will only say this: if chosen, I will play a character of some sort that conforms to whatever guidelines you set.
(I have my book)
While it does say (a suggested command is "attack anyone that comes within 5 yards of your front flamethrower.") that the vehicle can make AI attacks, it doesn't say what the vehicle rolls for that.
Looks like a GM call, though
if I were running it:
I'd say lower of shooting or computer use (if you're building it yourself) or treat it as a minion as far as the rolls go (if you're buying it with power points).
Don't you worry about the black council, I spent quite some time last night playing around with some ideas with what I want to do there. Should be interesting :) Heh, you're as bad as I was, planning out all your advances :) Just as long as things remain flexible to let story stuff in there.
As to the topic of HQ's again you guys don't have to worry about that to start with. All will be made clear in the first adventure/mission. Feel free to have references to bases and the like in your backstory however, but such places would likely no longer be considered 'safe', what with you having been captured/betrayed/what have you.
Just so you're aware though Masque, the Super Power Companion alters and expands the lair concept quite a bit. It's now known as Headquarters, is more customizable, and is also available through an edge as well as power points (including the ability for multiple people to take the edge, or one person to take it multiple times to pool points and expand the base). If you have access to the SPC, it's on page 60 (it gets it's own chapter).
Yeah, that list has already been substantially revised in my head, and will probably have been thoroughly forgotten long before we get any advances at all. This is what my brain chews on when I'm on the freeway.
I actually have the SPC, not the NE book, so I was looking at that chapter on lairs. We could easily have a few heroes spend their full power point allotment on the lair and have it really awesome, but I doubt many people will volunteer for that duty.
I'm glad you're thinking on the Black Council. I've been thinking on what she will take as signs of their involvement, but as paranoid as she is, she can probably make nearly anything fit. At this point, Internet Access isn't quite enough to get her attention, but certainly internet access and subscription to Sports Illustrated would have her wondering. You knew that's how they delivered their instructions, didn't you?
